Bullying Prevention Highlighted in October
Bullying Prevention Highlighted in October
What started as a week-long campaign has grown to the whole month of October. National Bullying Prevention Month was started in 2006 by the PACER organization as a week-long awareness campaign.
Unity Day was started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in 2011. It is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month. By wearing orange on Unity Day, Wednesday, October 21, it sends a visible message of building community through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The vibrant act becomes a conversation started, showing support for students who have been bullied and for bullying prevention.
One of the ways the Milbank School District is working to combat bullying and provide support to students is through the Safe2Say tip line. Safe2Say - South Dakota is a statewide tip line providing South Dakota students, school staff, parents, and community members a place to anonymously report concerns regarding bullying, their safety, or mental health concerns.
The tip line is constantly monitored. Once a tip is received, it is reviewed and referred to the appropriate personnel at the corresponding school.
The partnership between the Milbank Police Department and Milbank School District for the school resource officer (SRO) position, occupied by Jake Folk, provides a more cohesive collaboration between the two entities.
Folk and Heidi Wellnitz, Milbank School District counselor, provide multiple options to students who may be a victim of bullying. It is crucial that youth have a trusted adult in their life that they feel safe turning to.
